| THE BAHAMIAN NATIONAL PARTY " "THE BAHAMAS FOR BAHAMIANS!" |
MISSION STATEMENT
1967 with majority rule. Our goal is to move towards a truly free and independent Bahamas for Bahamians, under a government dedicated to policies and programs that place the native Bahamian at the center , instead of the current excessively investor dominated policies that have only succeeded in reducing Bahamians in general to second class citizens. |
1. Effective Control of Immigration to ensure that the Bahamian jobs, culture and social fabric are protected in a manner favorable for Bahamian development. 2. A Free Enterprise, smaller government, economic policy, with a More Equitable Point of Balance between the interest of the foreign investor and that of the native Bahamian. 3. An ‘Interest of the Bahamas first’ foreign policy, whereby we will not be forced to sign on to harmful international treaties directed at securing the interest of other nations to our detriment. 4. Rejection of the current unfavorable Regionalist Policy of ignoring Bahamian interests for those of other Caribbean nations. 5. A Strong Pro-Environmental preservation policy, critical to an eco-friendly Bahamas, essential to the maintenance of an environment favorable to our people's well being. 6. A Strong Pro-Life and Pro-Family values policy which will ensure that alternative lifestyles do not replace traditional Christian values in Bahamian society. 7. A Land Reform Policy directed at the resolution of all 'generation' property disputes via a specific 'Land Court', and the preservation of adequate prime land for the prosperity of current and future generations of Bahamians. 8. Economic Diversification to the maximum degree possible under a twenty year plan to produce greater economic independence, and to link more effectively with current sources of income like tourism. Special emphasis on agriculture, fisheries and mining. 9. Improved Internal Security and more aggressive fight against crime and all its causes. 10. The implementation of a more equitable method of funding government than the current indirect tax system. 11. A Comprehensive Modern National Youth policy to rescue our youth and engage them in positive programs. This includes compulsory National Youth service. 12. Complete revision of our Educational system to produce a curriculum relevant to the 21st. Century and the need for a more competitive Bahamian worker. 13. Improvement in the services delivered by all government agencies through the supervisory and oversight agency of the office of the Ombudsman which will be introduced immediately. 14. Fundamental Constitutional Reform towards a Republican system of checks and balances on the power of the executive, in order to advance Democracy. Special emphasis on Local Government for New Providence, and better funding of Family island local govt. |
| "UNLESS WE REJECT THE OVERSEER OF THE PLANTATION STYLE OF CURRENT POLITICAL LEADERS WHO CONTINUE TO GIVE OUR RIGHTS AWAY, WE WILL NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS A PEOPLE TO REACH THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT NECESSARY TO MAKE OUR POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE EFFECTIVE. " Dr. Dexter Johnson, Party leader, Commonwealth Scholar, MBBS, FRCS ( Ed) LLB, LEC,( UWI) LLM(UKC) |
This is the home of the Bahamian National Party, a Political Organization dedicated 100% to 'The Preservation of a Free and Independent Bahamas',the best environment for the growth and development of Bahamians. We believe that Bahamian values, traditions and beliefs are especially unique To preserve them we need a focused and vigilant political entity dedicated 100% to the advancement of the vital interest of the Bahamian people,inspired by the political philosophy of Bahamian Nationalism. You are invited to contact us with your suggestions and support at administrator@bahamianationalparty.com |
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THE POLITICAL THEORY OF NATIONALISM
people to grow, develop, and to thrive along lines which suit them. Nationalism rose to prominence in the nineteenth century. This is the general broad principle, and it leads to a further refinement once you have a recognized state. The refinement is what is particularly relevant to today's Bahamas. In practice the refinement is based in the belief that one's own ethnic or national tradition is especially valuable and needs to be defended at almost any cost through creation, preservation or extension of its own nation-state. We simply wish to apply this in the preservation of the Bahamas as our state, in our image. Nationalism is a powerful reality which can empower large numbers of ordinary people. Nationalism is a movement which seeks to further advance and preserve the interests of its own 'nation-state' regardless of other lesser considerations. Nationalism arises and is most useful chiefly where and when a particular ethnicity or nation feels itself threatened in regard to its own proper existence, character, extent or importance, either by external attack such as outside enemies, internal threats such as unrestricted immigration or by the failure to protect its interest by the state system of which it has hitherto formed part. The Bahamas is under threat both from external and internal attacks, not of a warlike nature, but more insidious ones, of which unrestricted immigration is one, and creeping Regionalism is another. Nationalism centrally encompasses two phenomena: (1) The attitude that the members of a nation have when they care about their identity as members of that nation and (2) The actions that a nation takes in seeking to achieve (or sustain) some form of political sovereignty in the face of threats to subjugate it. The degree of care for one's nation that is required by Nationalists is often taken to be very high: according to such views, the claims of one's nation take precedence over rival contenders for authority and loyalty (see Berlin 1979, Smith 1991, Levy 2000, and the discussion in Gans 2003). |
| THE EXPRESSION OF BAHAMIAN NATIONALISM The Bahamian National Party ( BNP) considers that the values, traditions and beliefs of the Bahamas are especially valuable and the interests of the Bahamian people deserve to be protected and advanced. We believe that there should exist a specific political entity dedicated solely to the defense of the vital interest of the Bahamian people in the face of all other considerations. The BNP states that there can be no doubt that we have a God given right to collective self-determination. The Bahamian National Party ( BNP) is a party of goodwill and high moral and ethical principles, committed to developing a free, productive and benevolent Bahamian society, one in which Bahamians can strive freely to become the best that they can be. To achieve this the BNP will continually strive for social, political, economic and constitutional reform directed at ensuring that the archipelago of the Bahamas remains a fitting homeland for Bahamians forever! We believe that Bahamians as a group can best flourish in this specific national community. It is here that the critical concepts of being Bahamian can best be acquired. This Commonwealth of The Bahamas nurtures the Bahamian identity through its unique social setting and the cultural context. The Bahamian National Party considers that the very identity of each Bahamian depends on the integrity of this political and social entity, and upon our individual unhindered participation in its communal life. Despite Majority rule being achieved in 1967, and Political Independence from Britain in 1973, successive governments have failed to empower Bahamians economically, diversify the Bahamian economy, complete Bahamian Land reform, move the political culture forward, and in general advance the country and its people to a point where Nationalism can take a back seat to regionalism and Internationalism. The abandonment of the early gains of Nationalism on the altar of political power and control was accompanied by an undue and unnecessary reliance on what is best described as 'the Tourist Plantation' an economic model designed by the Bay St. Boys, to freeze in place the system whereby they, a minority, could forever control the mass of the population, a, ignorant servant class, easily dominated and controlled by a minority elite. The post independence political leaders to assume government, all nurtured in the same PLP litter have in short order merely modified this Bay St. Philosophy. Nationalism was toned down, then abandoned. They have all retreated into ensuring an educational and economic limitation, conducive to the development of a cult of political personality around a maximum leader. The Bahamas is today little more than a constitutional dictatorship with virtually no significant constitutional changes from the generic starter constitution which the British used throughout their imperial domain to rid them of the now expensive burdens of their imperialist past. Without a true period of nationalism of at least fifteen years in which to complete what was begun in the immediate post independence era, Bahamians will return in short order to their general station in life of the 1950's. This time however, instead of British domination, it will be Corporate domination by some multinational Non Government Organization or giant company. This entity or combination of such entities will operate through a screen of immigrants and natives intent only on corporate profits. These persons will be kept in government so that their policies can keep the Bahamian in a dependant situation, undereducated and economically deficient. This will ensure that the Tourist plantation, the virtual entire source of funds, runs in concert with its Caribbean clones. We may already be in that position! The best of Bahamians, our most talented sons and daughters will only be able to aspire to EMIGRATE! This is what we face, without an immediate return to the unfinished business which can only be truly accomplished under a Nationalist Philosophy. We have to begin somewhere and Immigration Control, not liberalization, is where we must start. This Party is needed if we are to survive as a people with a heritage and a bright future.We need all our resources if we are to prepare properly to play in the next higher league of Regionalism. The BNP government will strive to create an open society in which people will be free to express their opinions without fear, including criticism of all aspects of government, the legislature, judiciary, administration, as well as of all public and private institutions. Since Independence the Bahamas has been governed by political entities who have lost their way, have become mired in corruption, cronyism, and empty promises. The country has accumulated a massive government debt, is being subjected to excessive taxation. There has been abuse of power, victimization, greed, censorship, misuse and misappropriation of government funds. Government continues to grow, expand and become more inefficient, instead of becoming smaller and more efficient. Since Independence, successive governments have deceived our youth, exploited their predicament and failed to involve our young people in our political system and environment. Our youth have been dropped off the national agenda resulting in loss of positive motivation, alienation from the mainstream, descent into poverty, hopelessness, despair and gang activity. The Bahamian National Party will utilize resources and implement policies to correct this situation, redirect our youth and bring them back into the mainstream. By integrating our youth with our adult population, the BNP will bring about the essential linkage between our youth and adult population, so that our culture and heritage can be transmitted to successive generations of proud Bahamians. The BNP and its leaders are committed to the highest moral and ethical ideals. We will continually strive to preserve the reputation of this party and its leaders as honest upholders of the truth, democracy and human rights. We believe that without a Bahamian National party in government the Bahamas is in grave danger of becoming a land in which Bahamians are increasingly marginalised, that without our policies and programs Bahamians will inevitably descend into being servants only in their own country. Only you can avert this fate by joining and working with us. Our legacy will be the continuation of this Nation as a place for the permanent development of our people as the best that they can be in a nation of their own. |